Man held for flight risk in plane disruption case

SALT LAKE CITY — A judge ordered a Ukrainian man accused of disrupting a Delta Air Lines flight to remain in custody Friday, after prosecutors argued that he's a flight risk and a danger to the community.

Testimony during a detention hearing alleged that 46-year-old Anatoliy N. Baranovich twice attempted to bribe officers to release him and was found with 19 passports.

Baranovich is accused of damaging and disabling an aircraft and interfering with a crew aboard the Boston-to-Salt Lake City flight Monday.

Authorities said Baranovich woke up during the plane's descent and yelled because he believed the wing of the airplane was on fire. He was restrained by passengers.

A criminal complaint said Baranovich was visiting family in Ukraine and got drunk for 50 days. He was headed to Portland, Ore.

Officials said when they searched his luggage they found the passports — 16 for women and three for men.

Three of the passports appeared to be issued to people who live or have been in the U.S. Some documents were heavily used and had no more room for visa stamps, while others showed little travel.

Melodie Rydalch, spokeswoman for the U.S. Attorney's Office, told the Salt Lake Tribune that the FBI is working with Interpol to determine to whom the passports belong.

"There is obviously a lot more we need to know about the passports and what is going on there," she said.

— Associated Press